The Philly Kindness Index is a field guide to doing good. It highlights hundreds of nonprofits across the region — from scrappy neighborhood projects to big city institutions and everything in between. Each one is featured with short, plain-spoken profiles that tell you what they do and how you can pitch in.
You can wander by category if you want the classic route — animals, arts, food & shelter, the usual suspects. Or stay close to home and browse by area, whether that’s a Philly neighborhood, the suburbs, or South Jersey. Every profile ends with a bright blue Get Involved button that takes you straight to the nonprofit’s volunteer page.
No digging, no second-guessing. Just a field guide to rolling up your sleeves in Philly.
Animals
For the shelters, rescues, and orgs giving every animal a fighting change.
Health
From prevention to recovery, these orgs fight for care, access, and well-being for all.
Arts & Culture
Keep Philly's creative soul alive, accessible, and sometimes a little quirky in the best way.
Environment
From the Delaware to your backyard, these orgs protect what matters most.
Justice & Advocacy
Equity, safety, and change - fighting for rights and representation.
Education
Tutors, mentors, and door-openers showing up for learners of all ages across the region
Community
Orgs that hold the neighborhood together, one connection at a time.
Food & Shelter
Warm meals. Safe beds. Basic dignity. These orgs show up every single day.%20(3000%20x%20850%20px)-86xp9h1ksg.webp)
Worth Noting ...
City of Brotherly Love
The nickname isn’t just branding — it’s built into the city’s DNA. Philadelphia comes from the Greek phileo (love) and adelphos (brother), chosen by William Penn in the 1680s. He wanted his “Holy Experiment” to be a place of tolerance and community. The phrase has been worn both proudly and ironically ever since, but it’s one of the few nicknames that still points back to a founder’s original vision.
42,978
Think Philly’s just cheesesteaks and sports rivalries? Try nearly 43,000 nonprofits hustling for good across the region — from Philly itself to Wilmington, Camden, and the corners of PA, Jersey, and Delaware.
The Original Gym Membership
Helping others can activate your social, mental, and physical systems at once — it’s not just “feel-good” work, it’s health work
City of Volunteers
Philly consistently ranks among the top U.S. cities for volunteerism. From food pantries to park clean-ups, locals clock millions of hours each year. It’s proof that civic pride here isn’t just about sports — it’s about rolling up sleeves and pitching in.
From the Field Guide
Features, highlights, and stories worth your scroll.
September 2025
A Little Fur, a Lot of Heart: Inside Philly’s Animal Shelters
Spotlighting the organizations turning compassion into action, one paw at a time.
December 2025
Porches, People, and Purpose: Inside West Philly
West Philly doesn't perform community. It just does it.
March 2026
No Experience Needed
TBD